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Drone genetics for expansion model beekeeping

Questions for Solomon Parker and others doing Expansion Model Beekeeping:
1. Do you have any control over the genetics contributed to your stock by the drones your queens mated with?
2. Do you have aggressive genetics in the nearby feral population and how do you know or suspect?
3. If a queen accepts a "wrong" drone -or several-, how long before the disposition of the hive is unacceptable?
4. How often do you inspect any individual hive to sense its disposition?

I observed feral bees in my yard long before I tried keeping a hive. Their steady appearance even in drought years was one of the reasons I considered treatment-free to be workable here. The feral bees are not obviously aggressive, but I only see them while foraging, and aggressive genetics are possible in central Texas.

My purchased bees are BeeWeavers, well-adapted to this climate. Visually they seem to be smaller and darker than the feral bees. They have not been aggressive.

Re: Drone genetics for expansion model beekeeping

1. Do you have any control over the genetics contributed to your stock by the drones your queens mated with?

I do not have direct control, but I do maintain yards both to the north and the south of my home location partially to provide drones. But I can't guarantee anything in any case.

Originally Posted by Ccarter

2. Do you have aggressive genetics in the nearby feral population and how do you know or suspect?

I have caught a good number of swarms and none of them were particularly aggressive. Occasionally a hive will develop aggressive tendencies and it should be requeened as soon as convenient.

Originally Posted by Ccarter

3. If a queen accepts a "wrong" drone -or several-, how long before the disposition of the hive is unacceptable?

If there's only one drone, then a portion of the bees will be daughter of that father. Will there be enough to consider the hive aggressive? It depends on lots of factors. Certainly you wouldn't want to breed from a hive with even slight aggressive tendencies. And you wouldn't breed from a young unproven queen.

Originally Posted by Ccarter

4. How often do you inspect any individual hive to sense its disposition?

Every hive is worked at least several times a year. The aggressive ones are usually easy to remember.

Originally Posted by Ccarter

The feral bees are not obviously aggressive, but I only see them while foraging, and aggressive genetics are possible in central Texas.

I think it would be near impossible to accurately gauge the aggressiveness of a forager.